Confusion
by TheLadyMango
Summary: During a battle Gladiolus has Confuse cast on him and comes at Ignis, but rather than attacking him as per usual under this status ailment, he kisses him instead. Gladiolus is mortified by what he did, Ignis is flustered and Prompto and Noctis find it all hilarious.


Confusion

Ignis lay on the ground, too weak to stand, deep in Daurell Caverns. The sound of battle was all around him, he could hear his friends' cries as they fought against a hoard of daemons. He had to help them. With what little strength he had Ignis took out a potion and crushed the magical vial in his fingers.

A rush of healing light surrounded his body, reenergising him and making him feel brand new. Urgently, he staggered to his feet, his back against the cavern wall as he looked around him, gauging the situation. First his eyes darted from friend to friend, making sure they were all safe, then he focused his attention on the Hecteyes, those blob-like monsters covered in hideous ever-staring eyes.

Ignis was about to summon forth his daggers when he noticed Gladiolus striding towards him. He paused, wondering if his friend was unaware that he had already healed himself. "Not to worry, Gladiolus. I'm-" Ignis stopped as he noticed golden-yellow lights dancing around Gladiolus' head. The Hecteyes had cast confuse on him.

Gladiolus was practically upon him by this point and Ignis took a step back, feeling his foot hit against the wall. When any of the four friends were confused they had a habit of attacking themselves or each other - or just wandering around in circles in Noctis' case. It seemed Gladiolus had made Ignis his target.

Ignis instinctively put his arm up in front of his face to defend himself and was surprised when his friend grabbed his wrist and pushed him back against the wall. Gladiolus pushed his whole body up against him and Ignis felt lips press against his own. He froze, utterly bewildered, as Gladiolus' tongue pushed between his parted lips.

Gladiolus grunted. A shiver ran through Ignis' body and his cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he snapped back to reality and started to struggle. Yet despite his best efforts he found himself unable to escape. Gladiolus had Ignis pinned against the wall with the full weight of his body, fingers still wrapped tightly around the smaller man's wrist. Gladiolus held him firmly and no matter how the Strategist tried he could not break free from his captor's grasp. Ignis' embarrassment was quickly turning into panic.

Something slammed into Gladiolus' side and the Shield lurched sideways, losing his balance and releasing Ignis' wrist in the commotion. Ignis watched as Gladiolus was engulfed in a green light. Smelling salts!

Ignis turned and saw that it was Noctis who had come to his rescue. The Prince was grinning at him and all Ignis could do was cough awkwardly and look away, embarrassed. He busied himself by glancing around the cavern. He saw that the Hecteyes had been defeated and there were no other daemons in sight. They were safe.

Prompto was walking across to them. The blond had a grin on his face to rival noct's and he seemed to be trying very hard not to laugh. Ignis' embarrassment deepened, he was sure that they had both witnessed what had just happened. He tried to calm himself, to keep his face as stoic as ever, but he was sure that there must still be some redness to his cheeks.

"I'm sorry!" Gladiolus blurted out, breaking the silence in the cavern. "I don't know why I did that!"

Ignis turned to look at him. An apology from the Shield was always a rare thing, and it was even rarer to see him looking so embarrassed and uncomfortable.

"N...not to worry. You were not yourself."

"Yeah but… I'm really sorry, man. Are you okay?"

"I'm sure he'll be traumatised for life, Gladio!" Noctis said with a laugh.

Ignis rolled his eyes. "I'm quite alright. No harm done."

"Aww! Romance in the caverns!" Prompto said as he reached them, grinning widely. He elbowed Gladiolus and winked. "Bet he tastes of Ebony."

"Shut it," Gladiolus said between clenched teeth.

Prompto gave him a stern look. "It's lucky Noctis was here to protect Iggy's honour. At least take him out for dinner first."

"I'm warning you, pip-squeak. Quit it or you'll get a taste of my blade."

Prompto raised an eyebrow. "Now, we both know it's Iggy you wanna poke with your sword."

"Come on now. That's enough," Ignis warned, hoping to nip this teasing in the bud. "Don't forget we are surrounded by dangerous foes. Keep focus."

"Just try not to focus on Iggy's ass, Gladio," Prompto said with a grin. "Resist!"

"You'll get my foot up your ass in a minute..." Gladiolus warned.

Ignis sighed.

They made their way through the cavern, fighting more daemons along the way. Ignis welcomed the distraction the daemons gave him, not only from the seemingly endless gags regarding the kiss, but also from his own thoughts.

It was all he could think about. He kept going over everything that had happened in his mind. He could vividly remember the way Gladiolus had pinned him to the wall and kissed him, how strong he was. At the time the lack of control he had over the situation has filled him with panic, but now looking back, he had to admit that the memory got him quite excited.

Ignis had known for a long time that he was gay. He had come to terms with it and yet somehow he couldn't tell the others. He didn't really know why. He was sure they wouldn't think any less of him for it, they might not even be all that surprised. Whilst he had not openly ogled men, he had certainly never shown interest in women either so it was possible that they might have guessed the truth.

He supposed he was scared that telling them might change the dynamic of the gang. Maybe they would subconsciously change the way they were around him. He might lose that closeness he had with his friends that he treasured so much. Once he told them he couldn't take it back. He feared that if they knew he was gay then they might, naturally, wonder if he was attracted to them. And the truth was that he had always been attracted to Gladiolus.

Recently, the four of them had been spending all of their time together, travelling, camping, exploring and fighting enemies. He felt closer to all of them than he ever had, and his romantic feelings for Gladiolus had grown deeper. The thought of Gladiolus finding out was humiliating.

Because Gladiolus was straight, Ignis was sure if it. He had accepted this. Gladiolus had never shown any interest in guys, but a lot of interest in women. He was definitely straight.

Except he had kissed him.

And all of a sudden, Ignis was wondering - what if Gladiolus subconciously chose to kiss him for a reason? What if Gladiolus was not as straight as he had thought?

Ignis reminded himself that Gladiolus had been suffering from a status ailment and therefore the kiss probably meant nothing. Just a weird thing Gladiolus did while under the influence of magic. After all, what people usually did while confused made no sense.

But Ignis couldn't quite stop that little bubble of hope from growing.

Gladiolus had been so embarrassed and seemed to be feeling guilty over what he did. He hadn't been grossed out that he had kissed a guy. He hadn't been disgusted that he had kissed him. Surely that had to mean something... Didn't it?

Yes, hope was growing. Or was it wishful thinking?

Gladiolus wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. He felt humiliated and ashamed after what he had done. How could he ever look Ignis in the eye again?

He could remember what had happened perfectly, just as he always could after having confuse cast on him. He remembered marching over to Ignis, pinning him against the cavern wall and sticking his tongue down his throat. The poor man had frozen with shock before trying to push him away and Gladiolus was frightened by just how easily he had been able to keep him trapped there while he struggled. What might he have done had Noctis not intervened? He had never been scared of his own strength before, but the thought of forcing himself on anyone, let alone one of his closest friends, was horrifying.

Why did he do it? He couldn't answer. There was never any sense to what anyone did when confused by magic. They attacked each other all the time, it was never a surprise. So why was this time so different?

Gladiolus tried to tell himself that it wasn't his fault, he'd had no control over what he did, but he still felt responsible. He had wanted Ignis for a long time, had wanted to kiss him and touch him. He had been harbouring these feelings, hiding them, for so long that it felt as though the need had grown so strong that it had manifested itself in this awful way.

Yet Ignis, ever cool and calm, showed no disgust or anger whatsoever. Gladiolus was thankful for that, though he wondered how Ignis would feel if he knew that Gladiolus had been wanting to kiss him all along.

He had never revealed to his friends that he was attracted to guys as well as girls. He was a bit self-conscious about it, and it wasn't any of their business anyway.

He did sometimes wonder if Ignis might be gay. He didn't seem interested in girls but then he didn't show any interest in men either. Was he too prim and proper to talk about who was crushing on? Perhaps he found come-on's vulgar and that was why he never flirted with anyone, or he was simply too shy and self-conscious.

He seemed the sort to take a more subtle tact either way. But Ignis had never had a girlfriend or a boyfriend as far as Gladiolus was aware. The man was so focused on his mission of protecting and helping Noctis, and of being the royal advisor, that he didn't allow himself time for much else besides cooking. Maybe the man just didn't want any sort of relationship that might distract him from his duties. Or, Gladiolus thought with a sigh, any relationship that might ruin the dynamic of their gang of friends. If Ignis was gay and interested in him he would surely have made it known by now. No use hoping otherwise.

He was broken from his reverie when Prompto, who had been walking in front of him, slowed, turned and made some kissing noises before bursting into laughter.

Gladiolus merely glared at him. He didn't have the energy for this anymore. If he stopped reacting, Prompto might stop being such a pain in the ass.

They emerged out of the cave and walked between the trees, fighting a few beasts that sprang out at them along the way. Soon enough they reached the car and Ignis volunteered to drive. It was getting dark and Noctis decided that they should head to the nearest Haven to camp.

Gladiolus sat in the back seat with Noctis and got his book out of his pocket. He was not really in the mood for conversation but he soon found that he could not really concentrate on what he was reading either. He glanced at Iggy. The man was being very quiet. He seemed to be concentrating extra hard on the road.

Prompto, sat in the front passenger seat, got up and spun around to face Gladiolus. He leant his elbows casually on the headrest. "Is that a book of love poems? Are you choosing the perfect one for Iggy?"

Gladiolus resisted the urge to slap him about the face with the book. "No, it's a book of painful ways to kill people. I'm choosing one just for you."

Prompto looked sidelong at Ignis. "Iggy, your boyfriend is trying to kill to me."

Ignis made an irritated sound but ultimately ignored him. Instead he spoke to Noctis. "I suggest we stop for petrol. There is a station coming up."

Noctis agreed. A few moments later Gladiolus, Ignis and prompto were walking over to the weapons vendor while Noctis, having filled up the tank, headed inside the little shop to stock up on supplies. The Prince returned to the car with a plastic bag that he placed at his feet. He said it contained a few potions and ethers, but he had a strange grin on his face as he said it. Gladiolus felt suspicious but he said nothing.

It was dark by the time they reached the Haven. Gladiolus put up their tent while Ignis set up his cooking station. They were all ravenous, having not eaten for a while, and Gladiolus couldn't wait to taste whatever Ignis was about to cook up for them.

"Wait! Iggy! Don't start cooking yet!" Noctis yelled.

Ignis paused. He had been about to chop some onions. He put down his knife and turned to look at the Prince.

Noctis smiled. "I got you a present. To help with the cooking."

"Oh? Thank you, Noct'." Ignis looked genuinely touched as Noctis handed him something in a white plastic bag.

Gladiolus moved closer to them. He had a bad feeling about this and hoped that the Prince was not playing a practical joke on Ignis.

Prompto appeared at Noctis' side, clearly intrigued. "You got him a present? Where's my present?"

Ignis pulled something out of the bag. It was some neatly folded, white material. He unravelled it and Gladiolus realised it was a crisp, white apron. What a thoughtful gift! It was a wonder that the chef did not already own one. Gladiolus was impressed with Noctis for doing something so kind and felt a twinge of guilt for not trusting him.

Then Ignis unfolded the apron fully and everyone saw the writing on the front of the apron in bold, black letters: Kiss The Cook.

Prompto immediately erupted into loud laughter while Noctis grinned proudly. Gladiolus just stared, unsure of what to do and wondering how Ignis was going to react. Ignis, poor Ignis just stood there, turning a deep shade of pink. He was completely lost for words for a moment then he slowly turned to Noctis and said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Thank you so much. Your kindness knows no bounds."

"You are welcome, Iggy!"

Ignis shook his head and sighed, but he still put the apron on before returning to his onions.

Ignis woke up with a start, his heart beating fast. He opened his bleary eyes and glanced around him but could see little in the darkness of the tent. He could hear the sound of gentle snoring from nearby. Prompto probably. He hoped all three of his comrades were asleep.

Ignis rolled onto his side in his sleeping bag and tried to get comfortable. It had taken him a long time to fall asleep, his brain had refused to switch off but it seemed even in slumber it refused to stop. He had found himself plagued by vivid dreams.

He had been back in Daurell Caverns with Gladiolus striding towards him. Ignis knew what was going to happen and waited with tense anticipation as Gladiolus closed the gap and pushed him against the wall. He was trapped by the stronger man, unable to escape as lips pressed against his own, but Ignis didn't struggle this time, he let it happen gladly. This time around he felt no panic, only joy. He wanted this, he wanted Gladiolus to do this to him. Gladiolus' hand pushed under his shirt and moved across his skin making Ignis shiver with delight.

And then he woke up.

Now he lay in the dark, eyes open, the dream still fresh in his mind. He was too afraid to go back to sleep. What if he had more dreams like that one? He feared that he might climax in his sleep while his friends slept next to him. What if he ended up waking them? He didn't have wet dreams very often but he was feeling extremely aroused right now and it had been a while since he had last taken care of himself.

It was difficult to find private time during their journey. When they stayed at a hotel he would lock the bathroom door and take a little longer in the shower. But when they were camping it was much more challenging. He refused to touch himself in the tent, even if he was sure they were asleep, absolutely terrified that someone would catch him. The only other way was to feign a call of nature and nip into the trees but he hated to do such a thing in the open like that. Although he had to admit that right now it was starting to seem like quite a good idea. It was either that or stay awake all night.

As quietly as he could he clambered out of his sleeping bag and found his glasses. He put on his trousers then shrugged into his coeurl-print shirt before unzipping the inner of the tent and stepping out into the moonlight.

Ignis was still buttoning up his shirt when he spotted a figure sat on one of the four chairs illuminated in the blue glow of the Haven's fire. Feeling startled he froze, wondering who it could be, until the person looked up at him and he realised it was Gladiolus.

"Uh. Hi," Gladiolus said.

Ignis smiled and tried not to think about the dream he had just had. "Hello. I didn't know you were still up."

Gladiolus shrugged. "I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd play games on my phone for a bit. Didn't realise how late it had gotten."

Ignis nodded. "Ah. Yes. I couldn't sleep either."

Silence fell between them. Ignis realised that this was the first time since the accidental kiss that they had been alone together. He felt nervous suddenly, and Gladiolus seemed a little awkward himself. Ignis considered pretending that he needed to pee in order to escape into the trees, but instead he found himself sitting down in the chair next to the other man.

"Are you playing King's Knight?"

Gladiolus glanced at him then back down at his phone. "Nah. It's that chocobo racing game which Prompto has been playing nonstop. I can't wait to see his face when he finds out I beat his high score!"

Ignis laughed. "I can just imagine his look of outrage and dismay."

Gladiolus nodded, grinning. "Serves him right. He's been such a pain in the ass today."

"He really has. And Noctis too." Ignis shook his head, getting riled at the memory of Noctis' gift to him. "That bloody apron!"

Gladiolus let out a laugh, the sound making Ignis feel warm inside. He looked at his lips and wanted to kiss them again.

"Why did you wear it?"

"Better it gets covered in tomato sauce than me."

"True." Gladiolus smiled at his phone then put it down in his lap. He looked up at the Strategist. "Sorry they're giving you stick too."

Ignis waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, don't worry about that. They'll forget all about the entire thing and move onto something new soon enough."

"Really?" Gladiolus asked doubtfully.

"Well… maybe 'soon' is the wrong word."

"Ha. Yeah," Gladiolus chuckled. He glanced at Ignis then he looked off into the trees. "Thanks for being so cool about all this, man."

Ignis found his eyes drifting from Gladiolus' handsome face, now in profile, to his bare tattooed biceps. "No thanks are needed."

"I expected you to be grossed out. You've taken this really well."

"Well… you know. You're a good kisser."

It had been intended as a joke with a flirtatious edge but it had come out rather more earnest than Ignis had intended. Gladiolus looked at him quizzically, like he wasn't sure if his friend was joking or not. Ignis looked away, feeling self-conscious and embarrassed, before he realised that his awkward demeanour was only going to make Gladiolus more suspicious so he let out what he hoped was a light-hearted laugh.

Gladiolus let out a chuckle too and for a moment Ignis thought he had gotten away with it.

"Iggy… do you fancy me?"

Ignis stared at him, feeling his face heat up. His knee-jerk reaction was to deny it but he was so fed up of hiding how he felt. "Uh…" He gazed at the fire. His mouth felt really dry. He swallowed. He looked at Gladiolus and he thought he saw a certain amount of hope in the Shield's eyes which spurred him on. "Yeah," he said quietly.

Gladiolus stared at him, clearly surprised. "I had no idea."

"Well, no. I did my best to hide it." Ignis felt dizzy. His stomach seemed to have twisted into a knot. "I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, I'm glad you did-"

Ignis interrupted him, clearly flustered. "I just… after what happened in the caverns, I started to wonder if… but it was silly of me."

"No. I like you too."

Ignis stared at him in surprise, hardly able to believe what he was hearing. "Really?"

"Yeah." Gladiolus smiled.

Ignis smiled back. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise."

"Isn't it just." Gladiolus said with a laugh.

Ignis moved his chair right up close to his friend and glanced at the tent, which was still zipped up, the faint sound of snoring coming from within. They were alone. Full of excitement and anticipation he turned his attention back to the man beside him.

Gladiolus reached out his hand and placed it over Ignis' own on the armrest. Ignis' heart was racing as he leant in towards Gladiolus and their lips met. The kiss was tender and hesitant, a sharp contrast to the urgent and forceful kiss in the caverns.

Fingers gently caressed Ignis' jaw and then stroked through his hair. He sighed happily and placed his hand against Gladiolus' chest, feeling the man's warmth through his black vest and enjoying the feel of tight muscles as he ran his fingers across his stomach. His hand fell to Gladiolus' thigh, his thumb rubbing in circles, pleased by the sounds that came from deep in Gladiolus' throat as he did.

The kiss deepened and their tongues tentatively explored each other. Ignis shivered as heat spread throughout his body, he wanted more, felt almost drunk with desire. Gladiolus' hands moved to Ignis' chest and busied themselves unbuttoning his shirt. The last button yielded and Gladiolus' hands fell hungrily upon the newly exposed skin. Gladiolus started kissing his neck and Ignis found himself letting out a little whimper.

A hand drifted to Ignis' lap and pressed against his hardness, making him shudder and supress a moan. His own hand reached out and grabbed Gladiolus' wrist, dragging his hand away.

"W… wait," he said, his voice cracking.

Gladiolus pulled back slightly, concern in his eyes. "I'm sorry, are you okay?"

"We can't. They might wake up and catch us. They might hear us."

Gladiolus smiled at him, then his gaze fell appreciatively to Ignis' bare chest before slowly moved downwards until he reached the obvious bulge. Having the other man's eyes on him like that only fuelled Ignis' desire. He bit his lip and glanced nervously at the tent.

"We really can't," Ignis repeated, though his resolve was breaking and he knew it showed in his voice. He looked back at Gladiolus and he wanted him so bad it hurt. "Maybe… if we go into the trees…"

Gladiolus nodded, stood up and was in front of him in a moment pulling him to his feet. Ignis found himself wrapped up in a tight embrace and it felt so good and safe. Their lips met yet again and then Gladiolus took his hand and led him down from the Haven.

"Not too far," Ignis said, aware that daemons might approach them if they were not close enough to the safety the Haven provided.

Gladiolus stopped and pushed him playfully against a tree. "How about here?"

"Yes, this will suffice," he said with a smile.

Gladiolus pressed him against the tree and they started to kiss again. Ignis moved his hands up under Gladiolus' vest, savouring the feel of skin beneath his fingers then he pushed the material up and gasped with delight as their naked chests pressed together. They moved their hips hard against each other, moving frantically, needing more, dizzy with pleasure.

Gladiolus unbuttoned Ignis' trousers and pulled at them impatiently to reveal what was beneath. Ignis gasped when Gladiolus took a hold of him in a strong, firm grip. He shivered with the intensity of it as he was stroked and teased, amazed that his friend was really touching him like this, that this was really happening. His whole body was hot, he was burning up with need.

His hands were shaking as he struggled to get Gladiolus' trousers undone. He wanted to touch him so bad. Finally his fingers wrapped around him, eliciting a deep moan from the man pressed so close against him. Gladiolus rocked against his hand. They moved like that, stroking each other and kissing with a needy fury, until everything else faded away.

A build-up of pressure, an overwhelming rush and it felt as though the ground had fallen away beneath Ignis' feet and he was falling fast. His eyes closed and his entire body tensed, gasping with the force of it. He clung to Gladiolus as his climax tore through him, spilling into the hand that held him.

He was whimpering, his lips parted, and when he opened his eyes Gladiolus was looking at him with such intensity and hunger that it startled him and he wondered, with a mixture of embarrassment and excitement, if he had been watching him the entire time as he came.

Gladiolus kissed him urgently then buried his face into his neck as he rocked against Ignis' hand which still held him tightly. Ignis felt him shudder and heard him let out a moan, a muffled sound against his neck, and Ignis smiled as he felt the dampness explode over his fingers.

They remained together against the tree, their breathing seemed loud in the silence. Gladiolus shifted, lifted his head and their eyes met. They smiled and then they started to laugh. It seemed surreal suddenly, to be here like this with sticky hands and half naked bodies pressed together.

They stepped away from the tree. Ignis looked at his hand and smiled. "We have made quite a mess."

"Better get cleaned up then." Gladiolus said. "I think I have some tissues, or there's water-" he stopped, watching as Ignis lifted a hand and licked it. "Or, yeah, just lick it off. You're too sexy."

Ignis laughed, enjoying the taste and Gladiolus' reaction. Together they did the best they could to tidy themselves up.

Soon, they were back at the Haven. They sat on the edge of the huge rock, legs hanging over the side. Ignis stared at the grass far below their feet, a few patches lit brightly in the moonlight.

The excitement was starting to wear off and doubt was setting in. He found himself thinking of all the times he'd seen Gladiolus flirting with numerous women in Lestallum and couldn't help but wonder if Gladiolus saw any future to this, or if it was just a bit of fun.

Gladiolus touched his hand. "You okay, Iggy?"

Ignis turned to look at him, and forced a smile on his face. He wanted this to work so badly. But was this really a good idea? Noctis was their Prince, they were here to protect him, they could not allow their feelings for each other to get in the way of that. They had to remain professional. Yet, when he thought about it, he knew that he would risk his life for any of them, Noctis, Prompto or Gladiolus, and this had been true for a long time.

"What are we now?" Ignis asked.

Gladiolus looked at him, taken aback. "Well, that depends what you want, of course. And I know it's still early days, but personally I want a relationship with you."

Ignis smiled, relieved. "I want that too."

"Awesome."

"Forgive me, but you're such a flirt when it comes to the ladies. I wasn't sure if you wanted something serious or not."

Gladiolus leaned in close. "I'm yours now, and I only want to flirt with you." He kissed him, then leant back again, smiling. A serious look crossed his face. "Do you think we should tell Noct' and Prom'?

Ignis let out a long sigh. He did not look forward to that conversation, mostly because he was unsure how the pair would react. Probably by making even more jokes than they did yesterday. "I think we should. It would be difficult to hide from them in any case."

"How do we tell them?"

Ignis shrugged, then a grin pulled at the corner of his mouth. "How about I put the apron on and demand someone kisses me before I start cooking breakfast. See how they react to that kiss."

"What if Prompto gets to you before I do? He gets really hungry in the morning."

Ignis laughed. "Then you'll have to race him."

"As fun as that would all be, I've got a feeling you're gonna come up with a long, dramatic speech instead."

"Yes, I'm sure I will." Ignis stifled a yawn. "After a good night's sleep anyway."

"Yeah, let's sleep on it."

They got to their feet and headed for the tent, sharing a kiss before they headed inside. They both slept much better that night than they had for a while.

The End.


End file.
